Safety salvage device



June 30, 1959 J RALLEC) ET AL SAFETY SALVAGE DEVICE Filed Sept. 16, 1957 R OONE H m mm m wflmw m N6? m m m A s m 5 M N Jo nw Fm w W lllllkmklllll I United States Patent SAFETY SALVAGE DEVICE James Ralleo, Frank G. Stanton, and Charles Chiaramonte, Rochester, N.Y.

Application September 16, 1957, Serial No. 684,214

8 Claims. (Cl. 114-54) This invention relates to a salvage device for sinking ships, planes or the like, and it particularly relates to a salvage device of the inflatable type.

Many types of inflatable floats or pontoons have been previously made and used. Some of these previous types have been fairly eflicient; yet the more eflicient types have had to sacrifice simplicity of construction, ease of handling and low cost of manufacture and maintenance to higher efliciency. On the other hand, those prior devices which did have one or more of the above advantages were not capable of the efficiency of operation which is so necessary in salvage work.

It is, therefore, one object of the present invention to provide a highly eflicient salvage pontoon device which is relatively simple in construction and easy to handle.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a salvage pontoon device which is easily and compactly stored but which can quickly be inflated into full operative condition.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide an improved salvage pontoon device, of the character described, that .is easily and economically produced, which is sturdy in construction, and which is highly efficient in operation.

With the above and related objects in view, this invention consists in the details of construction and combination of parts, as will be more fully understood from the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view, partly in elevation and partly in section, of a pontoon device embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of the device of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of salvage pontoon equipment, embodying the present invention, attached to a ship in operative position.

Fig. 5 is an end view of the assembly shown in Fig. 4.

Referring now in greater detail to the drawing wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts, there is shown an inflatable pontoon device, generally designated 10, comprising an inner inflatable bag 12 and an outer inflatable bag 14 of annular construction and surrounding the inner bag 12. Both inner and outer bags are constructed of flexible material consisting of a strong layer of fabric, preferably made of nygen, a treated rubberized nylon cloth. The outer bag 14 is of unitary, uncompartmented construction; however, the inner bag is separated into a series of axially-arranged compartments 16, 18, 20, 22, 24 and 26, by transverse partitions 28, 30, 32, 34 and 36, the end compartments 16 and 26 being curved to follow the curved contour of the end portions of the device and the intermediate compartments 18, 20, 22 and 24 being annular. The partitions 28, 30, 32, 34 and 36 are made of the same material as the other portions of the inner bag 12.

At the front end of the pontoon is provided an opening 38 through which extends a tube 40. This tube extends through the outer bag 14 and through a corresponding opening in the bag. It is connected to the inner bag by a collar 42. Outside the pontoon, the tube 40 is con nected by an elbow 44 to an air hose 46 of flexible construction. This hose 46 is adapted'to be connected to a source of compressed air or other pressurized gas, not shown, for inflating the pontoon.

The tube 40 is provided with a one-way valve 41 to permit entrance but prevent exit of the inflating gas from the inner bag 12. At the opposite end of the pontoon, a tube 48 extends through the outer bag 14 into the inner bag 12 to which it is secured by collar 50. The outer end of this tube is provided with a valved outlet 52. A similar tube 49 having a valved outlet 51 extends into the outer bag 14.

Each of the partitions 28 to 36 is provided with a oneway valve aligned with each other and with inlet tube 40 and outlet 48. These partition valves are indicated at 54, 56, 58, and 62. In the rear compartment 26, an additional pair of one-way valves 64 and 66, one on the upper and one on the lower portion, are provided to effect an exit for the pressure gas into the annular outer bag 14. Each of these valves 64 and 66 are so constructed that they will remain closed until a certain pres sure is reached, at which time they will open to permit the passage of air from the end compartment into the outer bag.

In inflating the pontoon, the hose 46 is attached to a tank or the like of compressed air or other desired gas, and the compressed air then passes through tube 40 into compartment 16 and, from there, through each of the one-way valves from one compartment to the other. The valves, as stated above, are so constructed that they tend to remain closed until a predetermined pressure is reached, at which time they automatically open, conse quently, as the pressurized gas passes from one compartment to the other, it builds up pressure. When the gas reaches compartment 26, it passes through valves 64 and 66 into the outer bag 14. A plurality of one-Way pressure-release valves 68, 70, 72 and 74 are provided on the outer bag 14 and these valves, too, tend to remain closed until a predetermined pressure is reached. The number of these pressure-release valves may vary but there should be enough to quickly and adequately blow off excess pressure which increases greatly during the raising operation. When it is desired to deflate the pontoon, the outlet valves 51 and 52 are opened and the air is permitted to escape.

Positioned around the pontoon are a series of straps 76, 78, 80, 82 and 84. These straps not only act to reinforce the pontoon but also serve to support a plurality of hooks for attaching the pontoon to the ship, airplane or other structure to be raised. These hooks, shown at 86, 88, 90, 92 and 94, are each provided with eyelet portions through which extends a cable, such as shown at 96, 98, 100, 102 and 104. The cables are preferably constructed of several plys of high density rubber and nylon cord which go by the name nygen cord. The cables are secured to the pontoons outer surface by their corresponding straps, which are made of rubber or rubberized fabric similar to the body of the pontoon, and overlap their respective cables, as best shown in Fig. 3. The edges of the straps are secured to the body of the pontoon by staples, stitching, rivets or any other desirable means such as indicated at 106. The hooks are each provided with transverse screw-threaded openings, as indicated at 108, 110, 112, 114 and 116 respectively, and through each of these openings threadedly extends a corresponding set-screw, indicated respectively at 118, 120,

122, 124 and 126. In operation, after inserting the open books through supporting parts of the ship or plane, the screws are tightened to close the hooks and prevent them from slippingout of place.

In Figs. 4 and5', the. pontoons 10 are shown connected along both sides of a ship 128 and'are inflated to the operative condition whereby they'are in position to support the ship.

The pontoons have been illustrated as provided with hooks to attach them to a ship or the like, inthe manner of Figs. 4 and 5. However, it is also possible to carry such pontoons within special compartments in a ship or airplane and to inflate them in anemergenoy While they are still in the ship or plane. In this manner they Would act as an internal buoyancy. It is also possible to carry them fastened. on cables in a specially-constructed ejection compartment and to merely eject them into position when needed through openings in these compartments.

Although this invention has been described in considerable detail, such description is intended as being illustrative rather than limiting, since the invention may be variously embodied, and the scope of the invention is to be determined as claimed.

Having thus set forth and disclosed the nature of this invention, what is claimed is:

1. A pontoon device comprising inner and outer inflatable bags said inner bag being divided into a series of compartments by partitions, each of said partitions having one-way valved openings to permit passage in one direction of a pressure gas, an inlet at one end of said pontoon and an outlet at the opposite end thereof, said inlet and outlet being sealed from said outer bag and being in fluid communication with said inner bag, and one-way valve means in said inner bag, adjacent its outlet end, to permit passage of said pressure gas into said outer bag.

2. The pontoon of claim 1 whereinsaid inlet comprises a tube extending from the. exterior of said pontoon, through said outer bag and into said inner bag, said inlet tube having a one-way valve therein to permit passage of pressure gas only into said inner bag, and wherein said outlet comprises a tube extending from said inner bag through said outer bag to the exterior of said pontoon; and a cut-off valve on said outlet tube externally of said outer bag.

3. The pontoon of claim 1 wherein a plurality of oneway pressure-release valves are provided on the outer bag.

4. The pontoon of claim l'wherein a plurality of hooks are flexibly connectedto the exterior of. saidpontoon.

S. A pontoon device comprising an inner and outer inflatable bag structure, inlet and outlet means to introduce and to remove a pressure gas into and out of said inner bag, passage meansleading from said inner bag into said outer bag, excess-pressure release means in said passage means to build up the pressure of said gas in said inner bag, pressure-release valves on said outer bag, and a plurality of hooks flexibly connected to said outer bag.

6. A pontoon device comprising a pontoon having an.

inner inflatable bag surrounded by an outer inflatable bag, inlet means into and outlet means from said inner bag, passage means from said inner bag to said outer bag, a plurality of straps encircling said outer bag, a hook flexibly connected to each of said straps, and a screwthreaded closure means for opening and closing each of the hooks.

7'. The pontoon device of claim 6 wherein each strap overlies a cable, the strap being secured at its edges, along either side of the cable, to the outer bag, and each cable passing through an eyelet on its corresponding hook.

8. The pontoon device of claim 7 wherein said inner and outer bags are constructed of nylon-reinforced rubber and wherein said cables are constructed of intertwined nylon and rubber cords.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 906,716 Jelpo Dec. 15, 1908 1,201,337 ONeal Oct. 17, 1916 1,740,231. Ellsberg Dec. 17, 1929. 

